Review: The Constant Gardner
DVD: The Constant Gardner (2005)
The Constant Gardener, based on John le Carré’s 2001 novel of the same name, is one of those ‘well made’ British films, starring really good actors that tell a solid story about a terrible wrong that is eventually righted.
Told partly in flashback, Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) is a shy, quiet British diplomat in Kenya, he’s married to Tessa (Rachel Weisz), an Amnesty activist who is brutally murdered for an unknown reason.
His collegue (Danny Houston) tries to persuade him she was having an affair with fellow activist and doctor Bluhm, which isn’t true, they are in fact investigating a pharmaceutical company.
The whole premise of the film is that Justin tends his plants (hence the title) but in fact this quite important part of the book –nature, nurture etc… is largely missing from the film, which in fact is really a Hollywood thriller. But unlike most Hollywood thrillers this has a bravely nihilistic ending.
Great performances, good story, but nevertheless one of those ‘Thursday night films’.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Deleted Scenes
- Extended Scene : Haruna – Play in Kibera
- Embracing Africa: Filming in Kenya
- John le Carre: From Page to the Screen
- Anatomy of a Global Thriller: Behind the Scenes of the Constant Gardener
Review by Tina from a disc kindly supplied by Fabulous Films.
